1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to baseboards and baseboard installation methods. More specifically, the present invention describes a baseboard molding having a segment of integrated quarter-round molding, a strip of compressible insulating material and a caulking channel the baseboard upper. The present device improves upon existing baseboards by providing an efficient mounting process that eliminates steps during installation, provides added thermal resistance once installed to prevent drafts within the home and allows easy installation onto non-plumb interior corners.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many individuals derive a sense of pride and ownership by undertaking a do-it-yourself flooring project, while other homeowners contract a professional installer to perform the installation. Updating the flooring in one's home often requires the installation of new baseboards to disguise or conceal the seam that results at the junction of the new flooring and the upstanding walls of the room. Baseboards are structures that provide a decorative outer fascia to conceal this junction, and can greatly update the quality and style of a room. Installation of baseboard molding at the base of the walls within a room further provides the room with a finished look.
Traditionally, the process of installing new baseboards is time consuming, labor intensive and a tedious process entailing several steps. First, the base molding requires trimming by an installer to the appropriate length for each wall. Next, the individual mounts the baseboard molding against the wall and floor, concealing the intersection where the wall and the floor meet and creating joints between adjacent sections of baseboard. After tacking the baseboard into position, generally a seam results between the newly lain baseboard molding and the floor, which is concealed by a section of quarter-round molding that is then tacked against the base of the baseboard. The quarter-round trim is a section of molding that is quarter-cylinder shaped and conceals any seam at the bottom of the baseboard. Installation of quarter-round molding requires hammering finishing nails into the quarter-round molding, which secures the quarter-round to the wall and/or flooring, and then filling or covering the nail heads with caulk, putty or paint. Once dry, the caulk or putty is sanded, which gives the quarter-round molding a smooth exterior finish. Several steps are required in order to achieve this finished look, otherwise gaps will show and nail heads will be visible. The present invention provides a means to bypass most of these tedious steps, accelerating and streamlining the installation process for both professional installers and do-it-yourselfers.
Proper installation of baseboards requires that the baseboard be flush with both the wall and the floor, which can pose a challenge upon installation, as most wall and floor surfaces are not precisely planar and plumb (perpendicular) with regards to one another. It is often necessary to incorporate a quantity of filler material to close any discontinuities or gaps between the installed baseboard and the upstanding wall surface. This is generally completed by filling in the gap with a line of caulk prior to painting the surfaces. Caulk is often used at the top of a baseboard while the baseboard lies flush against the ground floor and the quarter round section conceals any gaps along the base. Upon completion of the installation process, the newly-installed baseboard can receive a coat of paint to provide an aesthetically pleasing transition between the wall and the floor, which is often an interior decor characteristic highly sought after by home owners. The present invention addresses the caulking procedure at the top of the baseboard by providing a channel that facilitates improved caulk application and gap filling with minimal overflow.
Overall, the present invention comprises a baseboard structure having a built-in quarter-round molding segment that is not separately installed. The one-piece construction of the baseboard allows for swift installation without finishing nails or coverage thereof using a separate quarter round segment. As the baseboard and the quarter-round molding are one piece, there is no need to install the baseboard first and then the quarter-round molding thereafter. During installation, an installer presses the baseboard flush against the floor and tacks the baseboard to the wall. If the wall and floor are not plumb, a gap may exist at the top of the baseboard. The present invention provides a unique caulking channel to address this issue, wherein a quantity of caulk may be placed therein to eliminate any existing gaps. Overall, the elements of the present invention improve current installation procedures and facilitate rapid installation of an interior baseboard.
A further concern related to the junction between an interior wall of a room and the floorboards are open air gaps. An air gap forms when the floor boards do not completely abut against the drywall or wall frame. Insulation behind the drywall eliminates most of the heat transfer across the free field area of the wall surface, but at this corner region, gaps may exist at the termination of the insulation that provide conduits for air to filter into the dwelling. This can result in a gap of thermal resistance that can lead to drafts in an interior space, as air travels across the gap, leaking hot air out or letting hot air enter the room. The present invention provides a strip of insulating material along the backside surface of the baseboard that compresses into this corner gap as the baseboard is pressed against the wall and floor. The insulation expands to fill and insulate any gaps that exist under the baseboard, between the flooring and the wall. Overall thermal efficiency of the interior space is improved, as heat is prevented from leaking across gaps behind baseboard.
Several patents exist that attempt to address concerns regarding baseboards and the baseboard installation process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,152 to Friedlich describes a baseboard and molding system designed to facilitate heat transfer between the atmosphere of a room and a concealed heater hidden within the wall, behind the baseboard. The heater consists of a series of conduits, which carry heated fluid. The conduits pass through and attach to a multitude of heat exchanging fins. The increase the amount of surface area exposed to the air where heat exchange can take place, thus enhancing the heating capabilities of the system. The baseboards associated with the Friedlich device are meant to conceal the heat exchange system by having an outward appearance like that of a normal baseboard with a uniform external surface configuration. The heating system is undetectable behind the baseboards. One embodiment of the Friedlich device features a baseboard with a segment of the baseboard that extends away from the heating system a small distance forming an airway behind the baseboard. This allows heated air to escape from the space within the wall and facilitates heat transfer.
Installation of the Friedlich device is a highly complicated process as it first involves the installation of a heating system within the walls of an area to be enclosed by the heating system, and then requires the installation of the baseboards to conceal the heating system. Further, any repair that needs to be made to the heating system necessitates the removal of the baseboard to access the heating system. The present invention installs quickly and easily and should not require removal for any reason once installed. Installing the present invention baseboard molding requires only that an installer insulate the space between the flooring and the wall by mounting the baseboard to the wall and then finishing the top of the baseboard with caulk. Installation of the present invention does not require the use of specialized tools. Further, the intent and spirit of the Friedlich device differ considerably from the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,295 to Schacht describes a corner fitting for use in conjunction with baseboard molding. A common problem encountered during the installation of baseboards is that it is challenging to create an aesthetically pleasing transition at the sharp projecting corners of a room. More specifically, the corner where two walls converge forms a corner that projects outward into the room. The Schacht device fits on any projecting corner, underneath the baseboard, leaving only a small corner-rounding piece, or corner fairing, of quarter-round molding visible at the base of the wall. The device creates an aesthetically pleasing corner piece that lies flush with the floor, smoothing the transition between the floor and the wall. The Schacht device comprises two wings joined at a flexible midsection. Each wing has an upper, wall-mounting portion of the wing and a lower, floor-mounting portion which forms a ninety degree angle away from the wall to which the device mounts and lies flush with the floor. The structure and intent of the Schacht device differs from the present invention, which provides a novel baseboard that improves upon traditional installation procedures and provides an added layer of insulation.
U.S. patent application No. 2007/0277473 to Richardson is another such device that describes a system of interlocking baseboard segments. The system comprises decorative baseboard panels, plain baseboard panels, quarter-round molding sections, as well as stylized crown edging pieces that form a smooth transition between the top of the baseboard and the wall. The baseboards components connection to each other before installation along the base of a wall. By employing a series of tongue and groove joints, the pieces are interchangeable, stackable and allow for the user to customize the design and style of the baseboards. The Richardson baseboards are also multifunctional and can also serve as crown molding, chair railing, window framing or as decorative molding along a staircase.
The Richardson baseboard system provides users with a variety of customizable decorative possibilities. Users can choose how many sections to combine and can tailor the overall look of the baseboards to complement the aesthetics of a particular room. Users must make a selection regarding the sections to incorporate into the baseboards, assemble the baseboard and then install the customized baseboards in a room. The present invention is ready to use and requires no assembly prior to installation. Like every baseboard system, the baseboards of the present invention must be trimmed to fit the specific space. Once trimmed, the boards are ready for easy and quick installation. The Richardson device further does not provide a means to quickly fix gaps created between non-plumb surfaces. The present invention provides an integrated quarter-round segment that lies flush along the floor, while a caulking gap allows for any gaps to be quickly filled along the top of the baseboard before painting.
It is therefore submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing baseboard moldings. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.